Ananya Mehta

UK-based Prudential Plc on Thursday announced its plan to establish a health insurance joint venture with India’s HCL Group. Prudential said that it will partner with Vama Sundari Investments, an HCL Group’s promoter company for the new business.  In a statement, Prudential said, “Prudential plc (Prudential) today announced its plan to establish a joint venture with Vama Sundari Investments (Delhi) Private Limited (Vama), an HCL Group’s Promoter Company, to operate a standalone Indian health insurance business. The joint venture aims to address the growing healthcare needs of the Indian consumer and contribute to the Indian Government’s vision – “Insurance for All by 2047” Per the agreement,…

Siemens announced that it has received approval from the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) for the demerger of the company and Siemens Energy India Ltd. In a regulatory filing, the company said, “…the Hon’ble National Company Law Tribunal, Mumbai Bench, vide its order dated March 25, 2025, has sanctioned the Scheme of Arrangement between Siemens Limited (Company or Demerged Company) and Siemens Energy India Limited (SEIL or Resulting Company) and their respective shareholders and creditors under Sections 230 to 232 and other applicable provisions of the Companies Act, 2013 (Scheme).” The  equity allotment ratio for this demerger has been fixed as 1:1, which…

A US delegation led by its assistant trade representative for South and Central Asia Brendan Lynch arrived in India on Tuesday to take part in negotiations on the contours of the proposed bilateral trade agreement (BTA). The talks will formally begin on Wednesday and continue till Saturday. “Both countries plan to negotiate a mutually beneficial, multi-sector bilateral trade agreement. Both countries would focus on increasing market access, reducing tariff and non-tariff barriers, enhancing supply chain integration and resolving bilateral trade issues,” Union minister of state for commerce Jitin Prasada said in the Lok Sabha. India and the US are aiming to conclude…

With reciprocal tariffs just days away, a team of US officials will be visiting India from Tuesday to take forward the ongoing trade discussions including the scope of the Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) that both sides aim to finalise in the next few months. Both sides are expected to finalise the contours of the BTA and negotiation schedule during three day talks. As the agreement will be in tranches and first tranche to be signed by end of this year, both sides will be initially focusing on goods trade. “Assistant US Trade Representative for South and Central Asia Brendan Lynch,…

S&P Global Ratings on Tuesday cut India’s GDP growth projections to 6.5 per cent for the next fiscal as it expects that economies in the APAC region will feel the strain of rising US tariffs and pushback on globalisation. In its Economic Outlook for Asia-Pacific (APAC), S&P said despite these external strains, it expects domestic demand momentum to remain solid in most emerging-market economies. “India’s GDP will grow 6.5 per cent in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2026, we expect. Our forecast is the same as the outcome for the previous fiscal year, but less than our earlier forecast of 6.7 per cent,” S&P…

The worst phase of India’s economic slowdown and earnings decline is likely over, maintained Goldman Sachs. The worst phase of India’s economic slowdown and earnings decline is likely over according to the global financial firm Goldman Sachs. However, it expects market volatility to continue in the near term because of high domestic investment in small- and mid-cap stocks and global uncertainties, particularly from tariffs. “The worst is likely behind us in terms of economic growth and earnings trajectory, and prices have corrected meaningfully,” it said. In a recent report, the firm maintained a “Market Weight” stance on India within the emerging markets (EM) category. It…

: Indian stock markets opened flat on Wednesday as the indices started settling on the gains made in the last seven trading sessions. However, FPI inflows continue. The Nifty 50 index opened at 23,700.95 with a gain of 67 points or 0.14 per cent, while the BSE Sensex opened almost flat at 78,021.45 points. The Nifty 50 index opened at 23,700.95 with a gain of 67 points, while the BSE Sensex opened almost flat at 78,021.45 points. Mumbai: Indian stock markets opened flat on Wednesday as the indices started settling on the gains made in the last seven trading sessions.…

The government has proposed to abolish the equalisation levy on online advertisements, a part of amendments to the Finance Bill, 2025, in a move, which experts deemed as a signal from India to remove some taxes on businesses, particularly, under pressure from the new United States administration over tariffs. As part of the 35 amendments to the Finance Bill, 2025, the Centre wants to remove the 6 per cent equalisation levy (EL) it charges on digital ads from April 1, 2025. This has been in force since 2016, on payment exceeding Rs 1 lakh a year to a non-resident service…

HEG’s share price has moved higher by 7 per cent to ₹516.20 on the BSE in Wednesday’s intra-day trade amid heavy volumes in an otherwise subdued market. In the past two days, the stock price of the company has surged 20 per cent on reports that the Japanese government will impose a 95.2 per cent anti-dumping duty on China’s graphite electrode exports for four months as a provisional measure, effective from March 29, 2025. Additionally, Chinese producers have already implemented a price hike for high-power grade graphite electrodes. HEG has been the world’s largest single site graphite electrode plant under…

The redemption for SGB 2016-17 Series IV and 2019-20 Series IV is scheduled for March 17 based on the average closing price of 999 purity gold between March 10 and March 13 Investors in the Sovereign Gold Bond (SGB) 2016-17 Series IV and 2019-20 Series IV are set for significant returns, with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) announcing the final redemption price. The investors’ wealth could swell nearly 3 times on redemption due to skyrocketing gold prices. The 2016-17 Series IV bonds, issued in February 2017 at Rs 2,943 per gram, will now be redeemed at Rs 8,624 per…

The rise in input costs and moderation in urban consumption slowed down corporate performance in the quarter ended December 2024 with companies listed on the stock exchanges reporting a decline in growth in profits and sales, reflecting the challenging business environment. India Inc registered a growth of 14 per cent in its net profit at Rs 3.37 lakh crore in the quarter ended December 2024, slower than 16.6 per cent (Rs 2.96 lakh crore) witnessed in the year-ago quarter, says a study.

India and the US on Monday committed to further improving bilateral ties, exploring alternate mechanisms for funding renewable energy and actively pursuing the G20 agenda which includes strengthening MDBs and taking coordinated action to deal with climate change. Several issues, including climate action, rising indebtedness in low and middle income countries and digital public infrastructure, figured during a bilateral meeting between Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen held on the sidelines of the G20 meeting of Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors.